Airlines told to step up security to curb baggage theft at Indira Gandhi International Airport

Delhi Police have urged airlines to strengthen their internal vigilance mechanisms to identify suspicious elements within their staff and ground-handling teams in order to curb baggage thefts at the Indira Gandhi International Airport(IGIA).

In a review meeting with the air operators, Deputy Commissioner of Police (IGIA) Vichitra Veer said the primary objective of the meeting was to reinforce strict compliance with security guidelines issued by agencies concerned.

The meeting was attended by Chief Security Officers (CSOs) of more than 40 airlines.

Baggage theft and preventive measures were also a major point of discussion, with the DCP assuring that the local police would provide all necessary support to airlines in implementing effective measures.

Notable cases of baggage theft solved by the police include the arrest of a loader in March this year for theft of 75 high-end smartphones, out of which 36 phones were recovered.

Similarly, in July, an Uzbek businesswoman was arrested for stealing three expensive handbags from conveyer belt at Terminal-3 of IGIA.

According to Delhi Police data, 42 people were arrested in 2023 for stealing valuables from baggage at the airport, while 150 missing or stolen articles were returned to respective owners, which marked a 48 per cent decline in baggage theft cases in 2023 compared to 2022.